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1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of video telephony, and in particular, to video communications over a public data network in response to a telephone call placed over a public telephone network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Video telephony comprises the exchange of both audio and video between a caller and called party. If video telephony were deployed on a large scale, it would dramatically improve user-to-user communications and provide greater efficiency to business entities. For example, large-scale video telephony would significantly reduce business travel expenses. Unfortunately, the mass deployment of video telephony has failed to materialize.
Various systems have been developed to provide video telephony. For example, computers can be used to place video calls over the Internet. Video telephones can be used to place video calls over video telephone networks. Unfortunately, these video telephony systems are complex to install and operate, and they are often expensive. The cost and complexity has inhibited mass deployment. There is a need for video telephony technology that is easier to install and operate, and that is more inexpensive than current systems.
The invention helps solve the above problems with video telephony technology that provides for the exchange of both audio and video between a caller and called party. From the user""s perspective, this technology can be easy to install and operate. It can also be relatively inexpensive. Advantageously, the video telephony technology could be deployed on a massive scale to improve user-to-user communications and provide greater efficiency to business entities.
Some examples of the invention include a user system, its method of operation, and software that directs its operation. The user system receives a called telephone number contemporaneously used to establish a telephone call between a caller and a called party over a public telephone network wherein the caller is associated with a caller telephone number and the called party is associated with the called telephone number. The user system generates and transfers a first message indicating the called telephone number to a public data network for delivery to a server system in response to receipt of the called number. The user system receives and processes a second message from the public data network indicating that caller video can be transferred, and in response to the second message, transfers caller video to the public data network for delivery to the called party. The user system may receive and display called party video.
Some examples of the invention include a user device and its method of operation. The user device monitors a telephone line to detect dual-tone multi-frequency signals indicating a called telephone number contemporaneously being used to establish a telephone call between a caller and a called party over a telephone network. The user device generates and transfers a first message to indicate the called telephone number. The user device monitors the telephone line to detect an on-hook condition. The user device generates and transfers a second message to indicate the on-hook condition. The user device may include telephone jacks for coupling the user device into the telephone line and a port for coupling the user device to a computer connection.
Some examples of the invention include a server system, its method of operation, and software that directs its operation. A caller is associated with a caller data address and a caller telephone number, and a called party is associated with a called party data address and a called telephone number. The server system receives a first message indicating the called telephone number wherein the called telephone number is contemporaneously used to establish a telephone call between the caller and the called party over a public telephone network. The server system processes the called telephone number from the first message to determine if the called party will receive caller video. If the called party will receive the caller video, the server system transfers a second message for delivery to the called party and a third message for delivery to the caller wherein the second message and the third message indicate that the caller video will be transferred to the called party. The server system may determine if the caller will receive called party video. If the caller will receive the called party video, then the second message and the third message indicate that the called party video will be transferred to the caller.
In some other examples of the invention, the server system maintains a database of user telephone numbers and associated user data addresses. The server system maintains individual indications if individual ones of the users will receive video. The server system establish video exchanges between callers and called parties over a public data network in response to messages indicating called telephone numbers contemporaneously used to establish telephone calls between the callers and the called parties over a public telephone network.